HC Deb 18 July 1966 vol 732 cc31-2
35. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what discussions he has had with the United Kingdom's allies about sending British troops to Thailand.

20. Mr. Wingfield Digby

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what request he has received for the dispatch of British troops to Thailand.

54. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that British troops now in Malaysia will not be sent to Thailand, or to any other neutral country, for the purpose of direct or indirect participation in the war in Vietnam.

Mr. M. Stewart

As I explained to the House on 4th July, there has been no request for us to send troops to Thailand, and I can give my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Hugh Jenkins), the assurance for which he asks.

Mr. Marten

If there were a request, would there be any objection to adding to the 400 British troops who are already there?

Mr. Stewart

That is an entirely hypothetical question. No such request has been received.

Mr. Jenkins

Is my right hon. Friend aware that on both sides of the House there are Members who will be grateful for that assurance, which he has reaffirmed this afternoon, but will he not go further? Has he seen the report of the Gallup poll today which shows that only one-third of the people of this country approve American policy in Vietnam, and will he not associate himself with the majority of people in this country?

Mr. Stewart

I noticed also a poll indicating the steady growth of support for Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Vietnam. One of the morals one must draw from this is that one cannot frame a policy by adding up answers to Gallup poll questions.

Lord Balniel

With respect, does not the right hon. Gentleman's answer give a slightly misleading impression? Are there not already British troops in Thailand, and can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the military base which they are constructing there is yet operational?

Mr. Stewart

It is not yet operational. As has been said already in the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, there is a Royal Engineers airfield construction unit engaged in building a military airfield in North-East Thailand.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Will the Foreign Secretary make his assurance a little more categorical and say that there will be no troops sent there from Britain or from Malaysia to replace the 25,000 American troops who are there and who might be sent to Vietnam?

Mr. Stewart

I must repeat that there have been no requests at all from Thailand for troops. If there ever were such a request, obviously we should have to consider whether this did in any way join up with our obligations under the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation. But these questions are entirely hypothetical.